Bridgestone Offers First Stop Dealers Toyota Incentive

Bridgestone U.K. launched the scheme in December 2007 and has incentivised dealers by offering the Toyota Aygo Hatchback 1.0 VVT to garages which have surpassed performance expectations. To date, nearly 20 dealers have received a Toyota Aygo, on a two-year lease, which can be used by garages for employees to go to and from work, as a courtesy car or as a general garage run around for collecting parts.

Commenting on the scheme Mark Fereday, retail development manager at Bridgestone said: “Bridgestone supports outstanding performance and the courtesy car scheme is the latest in a range of measures to support the First Stop network and I believe businesses will feel significant benefits from being involved. The success to date suggests that it will be up and running across the network very soon.”

Andrew Hodgkinson from Roadrunner Tyre Trading in Cabus, near Preston, said: “We received an Aygo two months ago and it has proved an extremely valuable resource. It is a fantastic little car, very efficient and cheap to run. Customers have welcomed the fact that we are now able to offer them the use of a courtesy car so that having tyres fitted or having their car serviced is not an inconvenience anymore.” (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Ryan Waldron as president of the company's Americas business unit, reporting to Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Stewart. He succeeds Steven R. McClellan, who retired on April 1.

"At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results," Stewart said. "I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear's Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success."